Automatic cotton-packer.



W. B. HOUSE.

AUTOMATIC COTTON PACKER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 15. 1907.

Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

lNVENTOR. Y W. E). Hausa.

W. B HOUSE. AUTOMATIC COTTON PAGKER.

APPLICATION FILED APR15, 1901.

949,767. Patented Feb.22,1910. v 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. IT. 115 7 .LNUEN'TOR. w. B. Housa.

WILLIAM B. HOUSE, OF MILL CREEK, OKLAHOMA.

AUTOMATIC COTTON-PACKER.

To'oll whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. HOUSE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Mill Creek, Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Cotton-Packers, of which the following is a specification containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to an automatic cotton packer, and my object being to provide a simple, automatically operating apparatus for packing cotton prior to the pressing of the same, and which packer is economical in the consumption of steam required in its operation, and the hat or web of cotton delivered to the packer will remain unbroken or untorn, and the air will be forced out of the cotton in the packing chamber, thus permitting the bale to be easily formed in the compress.

A further object of my invention is to simplify the operation incident to the packing of cotton, and to eliminate much of the time and labor necessarily involved in filling the packer and forming the bale prior to its formation in the compress.

To the above purposes, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an end view of the upper por tion of my improved packer, and showing a portion of the condenser; Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the upper portion of the packer, with the controlling valve and housing shown in section; Fig. at is a vertical section taken approximately on the line il of Fig. 3.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings :-1 designates a vertically disposed rectangular housing which forms the packing chamber 2, and arranged above said housing on the rear side thereof is a housing or chute 3, which leads from the condenser, and there being a pair of rollers l arranged at the upper end of this housing 3 for the purpose of delivering cotton in a bat or web from the condenser. Transversely arranged at the lower end of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 15, 1907.

Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

Serial No. 368,445.

housing or chute 3 is a pair of shafts 5, on which are mounted rollers 6 which receive the bat or web of cotton from the rollers t and deliver said web or bat into the pack ing chamber 2. Fixed on the right hand end of the lower one of these shafts 5 is a sprocket wheel 7, and adjacent thereto is fixed a beveled gear wheel 8. Fixed on the corresponding end of the upper one of the shafts 5 is a sprocket wheel 9, and engaging therewith and passing around the sprocket wheel 7 is a sprocket chain 10, which also travels around an idle sprocket wheel 11, journaled to the side of the housing 3 above the upper one of the shafts 5.

The parts just described provide means for imparting proper rotary motion to the rollers 6 which deliver the web or bat of cotton to the packing chamber 2.

Supported in any suitable manner immediately above the packing chamber is a cylinder 12, in which is arranged for operatlon a piston, carrying the piston rod 13, and on the lower end of said piston rod is mounted a packer block 14;, which is adapted to enter the packing chamber 2 and pass downwardly therethrough.

A pipe 15 leads to the upper end of the cylinder 12, for the purpose of conveying fluid pressure to the interior of the cylinder, to cause the piston rod and packer block to descend; and to elevate the packer block, a pair of cables or chains 16 are secured at one end to the packer block, and extend from thence upwardly over pulleys 17 mounted for rotation in a suitable framework, and the opposite ends of said chains or cables are provided with counterbalancing weights 18.

19 designates a panel or pressure board, which is hinged at its top edge to the upper end of the front wall of the housing 1, and fixed to the outer face of this panel and extending outwardly, through suitably arranged apertures in the front wall of the housing, is a pair of horizontally disposed levers 20, carrying adjustable weights 21, the tendency of which is to cause the lower end of the panel 19 to swing outwardly into the chamber 2.

Arranged for rotation on the front side of the front wall of the housing 1 is a ratchet wheel 22, and engaging the teeth on the upper portion thereof is the point of a horizontally arranged pawl 23, the rear end of which is pivotally connected to a vertically disposed lever 24, the upper end of which is fulcrumed to the front wall of the housing, and the lower end being provided with a slot 25.

Fixed to the lower end of the panel 19 is one end of a cable 26, which extends through a suitably formed aperture in the front wall of the housing, and around a pulley 27 mounted on the housing, and from thence said cable extends upwardly over a second pulley 28, and the end of said cable being secured to the pawl 23 adjacent its point.

Arranged for vertical movement on the front wall of the housing 1, and on the opposite side of the ratchet Wheel from the pawl 23, is a vertically disposed spring actuated rod 29, the upper end of which projects above the top of the housing 1, and the lower end of which is pivotally connected to a pawl 30, the point of which engages the teeth of the ratchet wheel 22 at a point approximately opposite the point en aged by the pawl 23 and the rear end of this pawl 30 is pivoted to the front wall of the hous ing 1.

Carried by the front side of the packer block is a standard 31, the upper end of which is provided with a laterally extending arm 32, which is adapted to. engage with the upper end of the rod 29 when the packer block travels to its lower limit of movement, thus causing said rod to move clownwardly and releasing the point of the pawl 30 from the teeth of the ratchet wheel 22.

Located adjacent the upper end of the housing 1 and in horizontal alinement with the ratchet wheel 22 is a housing 33, which is provided with a valve chamber 34. Leading to said chamber is a pipe 35, utilized for conveying fluid pressure, such as steam or compressed air, to the valve chamber, and leading from the valve chamber 34 is an exhaust port 36. Leading from the valve chamber 34, adjacent the exhaust port 36, is a port 37 and connected thereto is the lower end of the pipe 15. Arranged for operation in the valve chamber 34 is a slide valve 38, to which is connected the inner end of a horizontally disposed piston rod 39, and arranged between the washer on the outer end of said piston rod and the valve chamber 33 is an expansive coil spring 40. Pivotally connected to the outer end of the piston rod 39 is one end of a pitman 41, the opposite end of which is journaled to a wrist pin projecting from the face of the ratchet wheel 22.

Arranged for rotation in suitable bearings on the right hand end of the upper portion of the housing 1 is a driving shaft 42, which is provided with a pulley 43, around which travels a driving belt, and fixed on the forward end of this shaft 42 is a crank 44, to the lower end of which is connected one end of a rod 45, the opposite end of which is adj ustably connected to the slotted lower end of the lever 24.

Loosely mounted on the shaft 42 is a beveled pinion 46, which meshes with the beveled gear wheel 8, and the end of the hub of said pinion is formed into a clutch face 47, which is opposed by a clutch face 48 formed on the end of a sleeve 49 which is arranged to slide on a feather 50, formed on the shaft 42; and arranged on the shaft 42, behind the sleeve 4.9, is an expansive coil spring 51, the opposite end of which engages againsta collar 52 fixed on said shaft, 42.

The sleeve 49 is provided with a groove 53, in which engages fingers carried by a yoke 54 formed on the outer end of a horizontally disposed lever 55, the same being fixed on a vertically disposed shaft 56, which is mounted for rotation in bearings fixed on the end wall of the housing 1, and the upper end of which shaft is provided with a finger 57, which projects over the top of the packer block 14, and is adapted to be engaged by a vertically disposed bar 58, provided with an inclined portion 59, and which is carried by the packer block 14.

The operation of my improved packer is as follows: The shaft 42 is continuously driven by means of the belt operating on the pulley 43, and the clutch face 48 engaging the clutch face 47 imparts rotary motion to the pinion 46, in turn driving the gear wheel 8 and the shaft 5, on which said gear wheel is fixed, in turn driving both rollers (3 by means of the chain 10 and sprocket wheels 7 and 9. The bat or web of cotton delivered to the chamber within the housing 3 from the condenser, by means of the rollers 4, is delivered to the packing chamber 2 by the rollers G; and, during such delivery and the filling of the chamber 2, the panel 19 is held in normal position, with its lower end swung away from the front wall of the housing 1, by reason of the weights 21, which action pulls downwardly upon the chain or cable 26, and holds the point of the pawl 23 away from the teeth on the periphery of the ratchet wheel 22. During this time, the rotating shaft 42, by means of the crank 44, imparts reciprocating motion to the rod 45, lever 24, and pawl 23; but, as the point on said pawl is held away from the teeth of the ratchet wheel, there will be no motion imparted to said ratchet wheel. hen the packing chamber 2 is filled, or partially filled, with cotton, and the pressure of the incoming cotton is sufli cient to move the lower end of thepanel 19 toward the front wall of the housing 1, the chain or cable 26 will be released or loosened in such a manner as to allow the point of the pawl 23 to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel 22; and, following the reciprocating motion of said pawl, the ratchet 1 wheel will be rotated with an intermittent motion, and will be held from reverse motion by the engagement of the pawl 30. As said ratchet wheel is thus rotated, the pitman 41 will move the piston rod 39 into the valve housing 33, against the expansive action of the coil spring 40; and, as a result, the valve 38 will be moved so as to open the port 37 and steam, or other fluid pressure entering the valve chamber 34, through the pipe 35, will discharge through said port 37 and be delivered bythe pipe 15 to the upper end of the cylinder 12. Following this action, the piston and piston rod are caused to descend, in turn causing the packer block 14 to travel downwardly through the upper portion of the chamber 2 to forcibly pack and press the cotton therein. As soon as the packer block descends a short distance into the chamber 2, the inclined portion 59 of the bar 58 engages the finger 57 and shifts the same laterally, which action rocks the vertically disposed shaft 56 and correspondingly moves the lever 55, which action withdraws the clutch face 48 on the sleeve 49 from the clutch face 47, and the pinion 46 will cease to rotate with the shaft 42; and, as a result, rotary motion to the rollers G is cut off, and the bat or web of cotton will cease to be delivered to the packing chamber while the packer block is moving down wardly therein. Then the packer block 1.4 reaches its lower limit of movement, the arm 32 strikes the upper end of the rod 29, moving the same downward, thus releasing the point of the pawl 30 from the ratchet wheel 22; and on the next rearward stroke of the pawl 23, the coil spring 40, which has heretofore been compressed by the rotary action of said ratchet wheel, will expand with a quick movement, thus bringing the valve 38 to the right hand end of the valve chamber 34, and establishing communication between the port 37 and the exhaust port 36. This will cause the steam or fluid pressure in the upper end of the cylinder 12 to exhaust; and, as said exhaust takes place, the weights 18 return the packer block, piston rod, and piston to their elevated and normal positions. As soon as the packer block reaches its normal position, the weights 21 will cause the lower end of the panel 19 to swing outwardly, thus raising the point of the pawl 23 off from the ratchet wheel 22 so that said wheel will not be rotated until the pressure of the succeeding cotton delivered to the chamber 2 again moves said panel toward the front wall of the housing 1. When the packer block 14 is elevated, the inclined portion 59 of the rod 58 rides off from the finger 57 and the expanding action of the coil spring 51 moves the clutch face on the sleeve 49 into engagement with the clutch face on the pinion 46, and the rollers 6 are again set in motion.

The operation just described takes place each time the chamber 2 becomes filled with cotton, or other product being packed, or when the pressure of the incoming cotton is sutlicient to shift the panel 19 toward the front wall of the housing; and said operations are entirely automatic, being positive and requiring no attention.

The entire packer is simple in construction, is economical in the use of steam or fluid pressure utilized for moving the packer head downward, and said head is only caused to descend when the packing chamber is filled with cotton.

The valve housing 33 and valve 38 can, if desired, be replaced by a three-way valve, which is automatically actuated by the reciprocating movement of the connecting rod 41.

l Vhere a packer of my improved construction is made use of, no lint or dust can escape into the gin room, and the spread of fire is reduced to a minimum, owing to the fact that the rollers 4 and 6 are housed in, and the packer packing chamber is entirely independent from the condenser.

I claim 1. In a machine of the class described, a packing chamber, a pair of cotton delivering rollers journaled to one side and at the upper end of said packing chamber, a pair of cotton packing rollers, arranged to deliver a continuous web of cotton to the delivering rollers; a packer block arranged to enter the chamber to pack the cotton therein,

means whereby the packer block is caused to descend with pressure, gravity means for elevating the packer block, and a pressure board hinged at its upper end to the top of the packing chamber directly opposite the delivering rollers and adapted to be en gaged by the cotton delivered to the chamber to throw the packing block operating means into operation, a valve controlling said pressure, means for operating said valve and means carried by the packer block for operating said valve-operating means at times.

2. In a machine of the class described, a packing chamber, a pair of cotton delivering rollers journaled to one side and at the upper end of said packing chamber, a pair of cotton packing rollers, arranged to deliver a continuous web of cotton to the delivering rollers; a packer block arranged to enter the chamber to pack the cotton therein, means whereby the packer block is caused to descend with pressure, gravity means for elevating the packer block, a pressure board hinged at its upper end to the top of the packing chamber directly opposite the delivering rollers and adapted to be engaged by the cotton delivered to the chamber to throw the packing block operating means into operation, means whereby the cotton delivering rollers are stopped when the packer block enters the packing chamber, and means carried by the packer block for engaging the means for stopping the delivering rollers and packer block operating means at different times.

3. In a machine of the class described, a packing chamber, a pair of cotton delivering rollers journaled to one side and at the upper end of said packing chamber, a pair of cotton packing rollers, arranged to deliver a continuous web of cotton to the delivering rollers; a packer block arranged to enter the chamber to pack the cotton therein, means whereby pressure is applied to the packer block as the same moves downward in the packing chamber, gravity means whereby the packer block is elevated after its downward movement, a pressure board hinged at its upper end to the top of the packing chamber directly opposite the delivering rollers and adapted to be engaged by the cotton delivered to the chamber to throw the packing block operating means into operation, means whereby the cotton delivering rollers are stopped when the packer block enters the packing chamber, and means carried by and movable with the packing block for engaging the packing block operating means and said delivering roller stopping means at different times.

4. In a machine of the class described, a packing chamber, a pair of rollers journaled to one side or" the upper end thereof for delivering cotton in a continuous web to the packing chamber, a pair of packing rollers arranged to feed cotton to the delivering rollers, a packer block arranged to enter the packing chamber, means whereby pressure is applied to the packer block as the same moves downward into the packing chamber, a pair of independently operating counterbalancing weights secured to the packer block for elevating the packer block from the packing chamber, a pressure board hinged at its upper end to the upper end of the packing chamber directly opposite the delivery rollers, and which pressure board extends downward into the packing chamber, a counterbalancing weight arranged on the pressure board and adapted to normally maintain the lower end thereof away from the side wall of the packing chamber; means whereby the delivery rollers are thrown out of operation when the packing bloc-k enters the packing chamber, and means carried by and movable with the packing block for engaging the packing block operating means and said delivering roller stopping means at different times.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

VILLIAM B. HOUSE.

Witnesses A. Q. DYE, W. A. GIBsoN. 

